I’ve been there; you’ve been there. You’re eager (bordering on desperate?) to land a new job. Maybe you’re unemployed, or maybe you just really want to get out of your current role. Regardless of the reason, you’re laser-focused on what you need to do to land your next gig. You find yourself thinking of every little thing that you can do to make sure they know that you’re exactly what they’re asking for. You know what they need, and you know you can give it to them. You are the solution for this company’s problem. And that’s all that matters to you in that moment.

It’s at this exact moment, when you’re thinking most about what THEY need, that you should take the time to be a little selfish and ask yourself what YOU need and want in a new role and a new employer. And once you’ve figured out what you need, make sure that this is an opportunity that can give it to you.

Of course there are the basics, which we all look for and ask about during the interview process: salary, health insurance, vacation time. But there’s more, and the best companies are already leading the way on employee-friendly benefits, perks and culture. They know that the best employees are the happiest employees; that respecting their people and treating them like adults has a positive impact on their bottom line. They understand that one employee who WANTS to be there and is inspired to do his/her best work is worth 3 employees who are only there to collect a paycheck until something better comes along.

So what are these things you should be looking for? Here are a few:

Vacation Philosophy: You know how many days off you get; but do you know how your prospective employer and boss feel about people actually taking those days? Is it expected that you’ll still be connected and productive in your time off? Is it really OK to go off the grid? What if you wanted to take a vacation longer than a week at a time? Is that frowned upon or are they OK with it?

Flexible Work Arrangements: Is the occasional work-from-home day something that they’d be open to down the road? Is this a clock-watching culture or is it more about just doing great work – no matter when or where you do it? Does working more hours get you bonus points with the boss, or is working smarter more valuable than working more?

Employee Wellness: Outside of insurance, what else is the company doing to ensure the overall health and wellbeing of its people? Are healthy food and drinks offered? Is there other wellness programming available like gym reimbursements, smoking cessation programs, group wellness/fitness activities? Some employers even offer healthy office spaces (there’s a certification for that!) with good lighting, climate-controlled fresh air, clean/filtered drinking water, non-hazardous materials, etc. How much does your prospective new employer care about your health?

Professional Development: Is there any kind of formalized training program, or do they support you pursuing training and development outside of the company? What about fee reimbursement if you want to take a workshop or a class to improve your skills?

What’s the social vibe? The “culture” question has become standard fodder for candidates to ask – usually in response to the interviewer saying “So, do you have any questions for me?” – but it’s something you should know, and care about. Is this a team/company that all hangs out together after work and on weekends? Do they have families, or are they swinging single and sowing their wild oats? What’s the social feel, and is it right for you? There’s no “right” vibe or culture, but there is a right one for you. If you need to get home to your kids right after work, you don’t want to feel like the odd person out if literally everyone else is hitting the bars together after work. The opposite is also true. If you’re new to town and/or looking for your work colleagues to become your social circle, you don’t want to find yourself somewhere that’s full of folks who aren’t into hanging out.

There are countless other things you can, and should, be looking out for. You need to figure out what’s important to you, and to make sure you focus on those areas when you’re digging into your potential next career move. Keep in mind that you’re unlikely to get perfect answers to everything – most companies are moving in the right direction but still may not have everything you want. So take the information you have, and make the best decision for you. What’s important is to remember that you do have a say in whether this is the right fit. It’s not a one-sided decision that a company gets to make on its own.

A little disclaimer here, that there will undoubtedly be times for some of us where we just have to take what’s there and we don’t have the option of being picky. Financial and other responsibilities sometimes mean that we sometimes have to be happy for any opportunity and to jump on it. But even in that situation, it doesn’t mean you can’t ask. Even if you know you’re going to take the job if it’s offered, wouldn’t you rather know ahead of time what you’re getting into and what kinds of offerings you can expect? It can’t hurt to ask – you might be pleasantly surprised by the answer!

Feel free to comment, and share what kinds of perks or needs are important for you. What can (or does) your employer offer you that stands out? I’d love to know.

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Usually I like to write for job seekers and career navigators. Today’s post is meant for the recruiter’s perspective, but touches on an issue that job seekers have been complaining about since the beginning of time – and rightfully so. This post originally appeared on TheLadders RectuitBlog. See the original post here.

As recruiters, we have it hammered into our heads that we need to create customer satisfaction for our clients – the hiring managers. This is the same whether you’re in-house or in an agency. It’s about providing a great experience for the client and ensuring not only that the right person gets the job, but that the client is happy with the overall process. But there’s another factor; another customer that needs to be considered, and one that’s all too often overlooked. And that is the candidate. There are two main reasons that it’s important to provide a great candidate experience.

As recruiters, our network of great talent is one of our biggest keys to success. If you want good candidates to work with you again and to keep taking your calls, you’d better treat them right.

These candidates aren’t only candidates. They’re also people. People who know people. And people who know people are the luckiest…never mind. Well, you’ve probably heard the adage that it’s human nature to tell 1 person about a good experience and 10 people about a bad one. You see where I’m going here. You want your candidates to have a good feeling about the hiring company both as a potential employer and as a potential provider of the company’s core product.

So how do you create a good candidate experience? It’s simpler than you might think, and most of it comes down to communication.

Respond in a timely fashion, at every step of the process. If a submitted resume isn’t a good fit, send an email. If you’ve interviewed someone and they haven’t been selected to move on, pick up the phone and let them know. If you do want to keep someone moving forward in the process, keep them in the loop. Don’t disappear for a few weeks and then expect your candidate to drop everything and show up for an interview the next day. Candidates know that they might not get the job. They’re prepared for that and they usually handle rejection well. What they don’t know how to handle is just not knowing where they stand.

Be nice. If it’s an email, a phone call, or an in-person conversation – a smile goes a long way. Make the candidate feel welcome and like you want to talk with him/her – not like you’re interrupting your life to make time for a conversation. Remember that candidates are interviewing you and judging you as a representative of the company, and that in-demand candidates usually have other options. Don’t turn off what could be a great hire by forgetting your manners.

Offer feedback. This isn’t appropriate for every candidate, but for those who have progressed reasonably far in your interview process and then are rejected it’s a great gesture to offer some information as to why they weren’t selected. Maybe it’s as simple as “you were a great candidate it was a very tough choice, but the hiring manager just felt that the other candidate was a better culture fit.” Or maybe it’s a bit more direct, “In the future, you might want to rethink your strategy of sending a singing telegram as a thank-you note.” Whatever it is, this very simple effort is sure to score big points on the candidate experience scale.

There’s been a lot of talk about the candidate experience, and we all know the basics. So why does a good candidate experience seem so hard to deliver? Many recruiters will chalk it up to a lack of time, and this is a legitimate obstacle. But it’s not one that we can’t overcome. There are plenty of ways to automate early-stage rejection emails. And once you have a candidate in the mix, it’s just a matter of setting your priorities.

So today, take a minute to get back to a candidate that you’ve been putting off. Give him or her some information that you think would be welcome. In return, you’ll be creating a solid member of your talent community – and a brand ambassador for your company.

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I interviewed for a job with a company I used to work for. I know many people still at the company & am friends with the VP who interviewed me. Yesterday she emailed saying I did not have the typical experience that they’re looking for and thus the higher-ups in corporate would not accept my candidacy.

Question: Should I write her a letter/email explaining why I am better than some average candidate just because their resume has the traditional boxes checked off? Or does that seem desperate somehow?

In typical HR fashion, I’m going to say “it depends.”

On one hand, it’s natural and expected to follow up an interview with a concise pitch for why you’re interested in, and perfect for, the job. That said, you’ve already received feedback that you won’t be seriously considered for the role. Whether you should continue to make a play for the job depends largely on your relationship with the VP who interviewed you. If you think she’s a fan of yours and might go to bat for you given the right information and tools then you should definitely give it a shot. Maybe she just needs to see the indisputable facts and arguments for why you’re the perfect fit for the job – all spelled out before her. If you think this is the case, do it. Write that note and make your case.

If, on the other hand, the VP isn’t likely to make the case for you with the rest of the management team, it’s a different story. If she either isn’t necessarily a huge fan and won’t stick her neck out for you, or if she just doesn’t have the sway or decision making power to influence the original assessment of your candidacy, then it’s probably a waste of time to try to re-sell yourself after being initially rejected for the role. If this is the case, a well-crafted thank you note would be a better option. One that lets her know how you appreciate being considered initially even if you are an “out of the box” candidate, and expressing an interest in exploring other appropriate jobs with the company.

If she’s a fan of yours, it can’t hurt to make one more effort to see if she’ll stick up for you with the bigwigs. If you don’t think she can or will affect any kind of change of opinion when it comes to you, it can come off as a bit out of line, if not desperate. So I can’t tell you what to do with this one, but if your relationship with this VP is one that you want to continue to nurture then let that be your guide on what to do. Put yourself in her shoes and figure out what you’d want if your situations were reversed.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this. Would you try to re-sell yourself or would you write it off as a done deal? Please leave comments below.

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When reading job descriptions, I’m sure you’ve come across the term “player-coach” more than once. It’s a designation that employers use for positions that have management authority but are also expected to get their hands dirty on some day-to-day work. Seems reasonable, right? Especially when you’re talking about the junior-management levels where employees are in a team lead role, mentoring and managing others, but still doing the job themselves.

One thing that I find interesting about the term “player-coach” is that although it’s obviously based in sports it’s not something that I’ve EVER seen on an actual sports team. In sports, you’re either a player or a coach. Going back to my earliest sports memories – from toddler soccer leagues to little league baseball to high school football – we had players and we had coaches. But we never had a player-coach.

Businesses, however, have adopted a very different mentality. They have fully embraced the idea of a manager who isn’t too managerial to roll up his/her sleeves, and a front-line worker who is capable of thinking strategically. Two birds with one stone! Or more specifically, two jobs with one salary.

This hybrid role can be a great opportunity for employees and employers alike, but it’s not without its challenges. In its best format, it’s a way for star individual contributors to move into management without completely being removed from their comfort zones. It gives them a chance to lead by example, to grow into role models, and to develop their management style all while still getting to work in the area of their greatest strength. At the same time, the employer gets to bring a superstar into management ranks and mold him/her in the company’s image, while not overpaying for a more experienced manager if that’s not what they need. In this situation it’s a great arrangement for both the employee and the company, but lately I’m seeing more and more examples where the player-coach position is not being used quite as effectively.

As companies are bouncing back from recent recession woes, they are starting to hire and organize staff with the intention of doing more with less. Especially in small and mid-sized companies, executive level positions are being asked to pitch in at the line level, and junior and mid-level managers are being given increasing responsibility and autonomy – regardless of whether they’re ready for it. This can present problems for both parties – companies are having a harder time finding the right talent, and employees are having a harder time succeeding in these roles. It’s very tempting for employers to hire too senior or too junior for the role they need to fill, and both have serious risks. Going too senior, you risk making a hire that is not going to remain engaged and effective in the line-level work and will either leave for greener pastures or under-perform. If you hire too junior you run the risk of giving your new hire decision making authority and autonomy that s/he’s not ready for, which can lead to poor strategic decisions and a loss of morale – both of which can have serious negative effects on the overall organization.

So what’s a company to do? First and foremost, be honest and upfront. If you’re hiring for a player-coach role, emphasize and stress the nature of the role to your candidates. If someone seems too senior or managerial, dig deeply in your interviews to find out if they really are. Then go with your gut. Even though a candidate might seem perfect “if only there was less execution involved” then don’t make the hire. These roles should be a stretch for the person you’re hiring, but an achievable one. In today’s job market, lots of candidates are making compromises to find a solid job with a solid company. But these same employees will jump ship at the first opportunity for more of a “real” management job.

And if you’re a job seeker, how do you navigate this territory? First, be honest with yourself. If a job seems like a step down, or feels too junior for you, don’t take it just because it’s a job. There will be more. And wouldn’t you rather wait for the next one than spend the rest of your career explaining your bad choice? Conversely, if you’re more of a player than a coach, be realistic about how much of a stretch is appropriate for you. Never managed a budget before? Then that multi-million dollar one in the job description might not be for you.

For recruiters, hiring managers, and job seekers – ask questions. In the interview; after the interview; throughout the entire process. Make sure that you know what you’re getting into, and that it’s the right thing for you. Too many bad hires are made because of wishful thinking instead of thorough investigation.

The role of the player-coach might be right for you, but “might be” isn’t enough. Know for sure before making a decision you might regret.

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I recently read an article by Jennifer King of Software Advice (which I am in no way affiliated with nor endorsing) entitled (in typical SEO optimized format) Job Seeker, Beware: 5 Ways You Could Damage your Reputation Online. The article isn’t breaking any new ground, as there are daily entries into the “don’t be an idiot” collection of articles and blog posts. But I’ve chosen to highlight this one because I think it clearly and concisely illustrates its point and, frankly, this stuff just can’t be overstated.

The five ways are:

Polarizing Email Signatures – because not everyone wants to “have a blessed day” and not everyone finds your kissy-face emoticon as charming as you do.

Fishy LinkedIn Recommendations – because we can tell when they’re made up, and not having them at all is better than having a load of crap.

Friends, Followers and Connections That Don’t Line Up – because sometimes it’s about the company you keep. And if you’re not going to “network” on your social networks you’re probably better off not being there at all.

Inconsistent and Out-of-Date Profile Info – because if your information isn’t consistent I’ll have to assume that you’re lying somewhere.

Unflattering Posts on Others’ Sites – because not only should you not be an idiot, but you should also not be an asshole. These things have a tendency to follow you around.

To read the original article and to see these points illustrated with a bit more tact than I’ve illustrated here, check it out. It’s a nice read. And we can all use these reminders every once in a while.

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Hello Dave, Since graduating college four years ago, I have worked as an aide for a state legislator. My duties primarily include casework, reviewing bills, letter/press release writing, and general administrative work. As time goes on, I am increasingly learning the public sector is not where I want to be. For the past year, I have been looking to change careers. I have been applying for analyst and human resource positions within various industries, primarily in finance and media, because I find those fields interesting.

My question is – how do I get my foot in the door with an industry I do not have any direct experience in? I feel my skill set qualifies me for many of these entry or second level positions, but am not getting the response I’m hoping for. How do I get HR people to notice me?

Thanks for reaching out. Your question is a tough one, and one that people in a variety of fields are struggling with. Unfortunately there’s no easy answer – the kind of career shift that you’re looking for tends to rely on luck (being in the right place at the right time.) Fortunately, there are ways to create your own luck to give yourself the best shot at success.

Make sure that you’re not just spraying your one resume format out to every junior-level HR job you see. That’s the kiss of death. Make sure that the jobs you’re applying for have some relation to your skills, and make sure that you’re highlighting those relations on the customized resume that you’re sending to each one.

Network. I know that it can be a scary word, but when you break it down it’s really not that bad. Do some research on LinkedIn or individual company directories, and find a handful of people who are doing the jobs that you want to do in your area. Email them, explain your situation (just like you did with me) and ask them if they’d be up for a brief meeting so that you can get some more insight into their industry, background and career path. Offer to buy them a cup of coffee at a local place, or to meet with them at their place of business if that’s more convenient. These networking meetings accomplish two things – they give you access to information that could help you get the job you want, and they get you on the radar of the people who are doing what you want to do. If one of these people gets promoted or leaves a job, wouldn’t it be great if they said “hey – I know someone really smart and insightful who would be great for my replacement”?

Explore temporary work. Register with some temp agencies in your area, and when you meet with the recruiter tell him/her what you’re looking for. They just might have some temp assignments for you in an entry level or admin role within an HR department. If they do, this is your big chance to make a great impression. When on a temp assignment, take the time to get to know the people around you a little bit. Always try to go above and beyond, and make sure that you’re not shy about expressing your interest in the field. I owe my career to a temp assignment that I had when I was ready to transition out of acting and into the corporate world, so I can say with absolute certainly that this can be a successful means to an end.

Are any of these guaranteed to get you where you want to be? Of course not. But there are no guarantees in life, so these are as good are you’re going to get (at least from me.) I’ve always been a firm believer in two things: roll with the punches and create your own luck. If you’re smart, diligent, and if you’re the kind of person that others genuinely want to work with, the opportunities will come in time. Just make sure that you’re stacking the deck in your favor.

Do you have a question you’d like to see answered on this site? Send an email to HR.Dave1@gmail.com.

Questions or comments about this topic? Please leave them below – it’s a conversation, not a lecture.

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Hey folks! In the interest of creating a forum that’s more conducive to conversation, I’ve decided to join the magical world of Facebook with the official HR Dave page. It’s there for asking questions, sharing insight, and generally having a real dialogue about job search and careers. Check out the page at http://www.facebook.com/hrdave1. I hope you’ll join us there. Thanks, as always, for reading.